JP2020057449A - Rack power supply - Google Patents

Abstract

To improve the degree of freedom in arranging a rack power supply, make the number of cooling fans smaller than the number of battery modules, and suppress a difference in the cooling capacity of the battery modules.SOLUTION: A rack power supply includes a plurality of battery modules 1 that accommodate a plurality of secondary battery cells 11, a rack body 2 that accommodates the plurality of battery modules 1 in a horizontal posture with a gap 3 between the battery modules 1 in a plurality of upper and lower stages, and a cooling fan 5 that is provided on the front side of the rack body 2 and sends cooling air to the gap 3 formed between the battery modules 1. The rack body 2 is provided with a rear duct 4 on the rear side of the plurality of battery modules 1 for passing the cooling air that has passed through the gap 3 upward, and an exhaust port 28 that exhausts the cooling air that has passed through the rear duct 4 is open to the top side. The number of cooling fans 5 is smaller than that of the battery modules 1, and arranged so as to be displaced from the gap 3 between the battery modules 1 in the front view of the rack body 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a rack-type power supply device in which a plurality of battery modules including a plurality of chargeable / dischargeable secondary battery cells are housed in a rack.

  BACKGROUND ART A rack-type power supply device in which a number of secondary batteries are connected in series and in parallel is used for a backup power supply for servers, buildings, factories, etc., a power storage for peak cut, or a power drive. An example of such a power supply device is shown in a schematic sectional view of FIG. In the power supply device shown in this figure, a number of plate-shaped battery modules 101 in which a number of secondary battery cells are connected in series and / or in parallel are arranged in a rack 102 in a horizontal posture and parallel to each other. In this power supply device, it is desirable to provide a cooling mechanism because the secondary battery cells generate heat by charging and discharging. In the example of FIG. 12, a plurality of heat radiating fans 105 are provided on the rear side of the rack 102, and as shown by arrows, air is sucked in from the front side of the rack 102 and exhausted from the rear side to force the flow of air. Then, the power supply device is cooled by air cooling by flowing through the gap 103 between the battery modules 101.

  In this structure, since the cooling air needs to be exhausted from the rear side of the rack 102, the rack 102 must be arranged at a certain distance from the wall surface 110. However, such a restriction on the arrangement of the rack 102 reduces the degree of freedom, which is not preferable. In the use state of the power supply device, it is sometimes difficult to arrange the rack 102 with a space provided on the back of the rack 102. For example, the rack 102 is installed close to the wall surface 110, or the rack 102 is In some cases, they may be arranged side by side. In such a case, the battery module 101 of each power supply device cannot be air-cooled effectively, which may lead to deterioration of the secondary battery cells and a shortened life.

JP 2013-171796 A

  The present invention has been made in view of such a background. An object of the present invention is to improve the degree of freedom in the arrangement of a rack-type power supply device, and to reduce the number of cooling fans from the number of battery modules while suppressing the difference in the cooling capacity of the battery modules. To provide a rack-type power supply device.

Means for Solving the Problems and Effects of the Invention

  According to the rack-type power supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of battery modules 1 accommodating the plurality of secondary battery cells 11 and the plurality of battery modules 1 are provided with a gap 3 therebetween in a horizontal posture. Rack bodies 2, 52, which are stored in a plurality of stages vertically, and a cooling fan 5 arranged on the front side of the rack bodies 2, 52 for blowing cooling air to a gap 3 formed between the battery modules 1. The rack main body 2, 52 includes a back duct 4 on the back side of the plurality of battery modules 1, through which the cooling air passing through the gap 3 passes upward, and a back duct 4. An exhaust port 28 for exhausting the cooling air that has passed through is opened to the top side, the number of cooling fans 5 is smaller than the number of battery modules 1, and the number of cooling fans 5 is Smell frontal Are arranged let deviated from the gap 3 formed between the battery modules 1 together.

  With the above configuration, while reducing the number of cooling fans used and reducing costs, the arrangement position is not the position of the gap between the battery modules having good airflow efficiency, but is intentionally arranged to avoid the gap between the battery modules. In addition, by intentionally preventing the flow of the cooling air, the cooling air is supplied also to the area where the cooling air hardly reaches, and as a result, uniform cooling is realized.

  According to the rack-type power supply device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of battery modules 1 accommodating the plurality of secondary battery cells 11 and the plurality of battery modules 1 are opened with a gap 3 therebetween in a horizontal posture. Rack bodies 62, 72, which are stored in a plurality of stages vertically, and a cooling fan 5 arranged on the front side of the rack bodies 62, 72 for blowing cooling air to a gap 3 formed between the battery modules 1. The rack main body 62, 72 includes rear ducts 64, 74 that allow the cooling air passing through the gap 3 to pass upward on the rear side of the plurality of battery modules 1. An exhaust port 28 for exhausting the cooling air passing through the rear ducts 64, 74 is opened on the top side, and the rear ducts 64, 74 are housed in the upper regions 66, 76 of the rack bodies 62, 72. Duplicate First passages 64A and 74A through which the cooling air passing through the gap 3 formed between the battery modules 1 of the first and second battery modules 1 and the plurality of battery modules 1 housed in the lower regions 67 and 77 of the rack bodies 62 and 72, respectively. It is divided into second flow paths 64B and 74B through which the cooling air that has passed through the gap 3 formed between them is provided, and the number of the cooling fans 5 is smaller than the number of the battery modules 1, and The fans 5 are arranged vertically.

  According to the above configuration, uniform cooling is realized while reducing the number of cooling fans used to reduce costs. It divides the back duct formed on the back side of the plurality of battery modules into a first flow path and a second flow path, and the cooling air that has passed through the plurality of battery modules arranged in the upper region is supplied to the first flow path. This is because the flow of the cooling air passing through the rear duct can be improved by passing the cooling air passing through the plurality of battery modules arranged in the lower region through the second flow path. In particular, the rear duct is divided into a first flow path and a second flow path, and the cooling air passing through the plurality of battery modules arranged in the lower area is passed through the second flow path, so that the battery in the lower area is The cooling air that has passed through the module is effectively prevented from stagnating in the rear duct, and can be efficiently blown through the second flow path. Thereby, the flow of the cooling air blown to the lower region is ensured, a uniform air flow can be realized as a whole, and uniform cooling is realized.

  According to the rack-type power supply device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the rear ducts 64 and 74 are located on the rear side of the plurality of battery modules 1 housed in the upper regions 66 and 76, and , 74 are partitioned into front and rear sections, and the front sides of the partition walls 65, 75 are defined as first flow paths 64A, 74A, and the rear sides of the partition walls 65, 75 are defined as second flow paths 64B. , 74B.

  With the above configuration, the rear duct can be divided into the first flow path and the second flow path with a simple structure in which the partition wall is arranged on the rear duct. In particular, the cooling air that has passed between the battery modules stored in the upper region is passed through the first flow path formed on the front side of the partition wall, and the cooling air that has passed between the battery modules stored in the lower region is Since the cooling air is passed through the second flow path formed on the back side of the partition wall, the cooling air that has passed between the battery modules arranged in a plurality of stages vertically can be efficiently exhausted upward.

  According to the rack-type power supply device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the cooling fans 5 are arranged at equal intervals every other stage with respect to the plurality of battery modules 1 arranged in a plurality of stages.

  According to the above configuration, the number of cooling fans arranged on the front side of the rack body is reduced to half of the number of the battery modules arranged in a plurality of stages, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and reducing the cooling air blown to each gap. All the battery modules can be cooled uniformly by making the air flow uniform.

  According to the rack-type power supply device according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, the cooling fan 5 arranged at the lowermost position on the front side of the rack bodies 2 and 72 is provided with the battery module housed in the rack bodies 2 and 72. 1 are arranged so as to match the battery module 1 located at the lowermost stage.

  With the above configuration, a simple configuration in which the lowermost cooling fan is arranged so as to match with the lowermost battery module makes the airflow flowing in the gap between the battery modules uniform and makes all the battery modules uniform. Can be cooled.

  According to the rack-type power supply device according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention, the cooling fan 5 disposed at the lowermost position on the front side of the rack main body 52 includes the battery module 1 housed in the rack main body 52, It is arranged so as to match with the battery module 1 located at the second stage from the bottom.

  With the above configuration, a simple configuration in which the cooling fan located at the lowermost position is aligned with the battery module located at the second stage from the lowermost stage makes uniform the airflow flowing through the gap between the battery modules, thereby making all the cooling fans uniform. The battery module can be cooled uniformly.

  According to the rack-type power supply device according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust fans for positioning the rack bodies 2 and 62 at the exhaust ports 28 and exhausting the cooling air passing through the rear ducts 4 and 64 are provided. 35 is provided.

  With the above configuration, the cooling air flowing through the gap between the plurality of battery modules arranged vertically and flowing into the rear duct is effectively sucked by the exhaust fan arranged at the top-side exhaust port. Can be discharged. In particular, since the exhaust air is forcibly exhausted from the exhaust port on the top surface side, the entire flow of the cooling air is promoted, and all the battery modules can be cooled more efficiently.

  According to the rack-type power supply device according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, the rack bodies 2, 52, 62, and 72 are cooled by the cooling fan 5 below the lowermost battery module 1. The bottom duct 30 is provided to allow the air to pass therethrough. The bottom duct 30 communicates with the rear ducts 4, 64, and 74, and the cooling air that has passed through the bottom duct 30 flows into the rear ducts 4, 64, and 74. In addition, the vertical width (T) of the bottom duct 30 is wider than the vertical width (t) of the gap 3 formed between the battery modules 1.

  With the above configuration, the flow of the cooling air sent from the cooling fan located at the lowermost position to the lowermost battery module can be promoted, and the airflow in the vicinity of the lowermost battery module can be improved. In particular, by making the vertical width of the bottom duct wider than the gap between the battery modules, the airflow at the lowermost part can be more effectively improved, and all the battery modules can be uniformly cooled.

  According to the rack-type power supply device according to the ninth embodiment of the present invention, the distance (h) between the cooling fan 5 and the front surface 1A of the plurality of battery modules 1 facing the cooling fan 5 is determined by the thickness of the cooling fan 5 ( k) is set to four times or less.

  According to the above configuration, all the battery modules can be uniformly cooled without providing a large space on the front side of the battery modules, in other words, while making the rack body compact.

  According to the rack-type power supply device according to the tenth aspect of the present invention, the power supply controller includes a power supply controller 7 that controls charging and discharging of the plurality of battery modules 1 housed in the rack bodies 2, 52, 62, and 72. 7 is arranged above the battery module 1 arranged at the uppermost stage of the plurality of battery modules 1 arranged in a plurality of stages, and the power supply controller 7 is cooled by cooling air passing through the rear duct 4.

  With the above configuration, while controlling the charging and discharging of the plurality of battery modules housed in the rack body with the power controller, the power controller is arranged above the uppermost battery module, so that the cooling air passing through the rear duct can be cooled. The power controller can be effectively cooled by contact.

  According to the rack-type power supply device according to the eleventh aspect of the present invention, the battery module 1 has the output terminal 14 on the front surface 1A for outputting the output of the plurality of built-in secondary battery cells 11 to the outside. On the front side of the rack bodies 2, 52, 62, 72, the output terminals 14 of the plurality of battery modules 1 are connected to the power supply module 7 via connection lines 41.

  With the above configuration, the wiring work and maintenance can be simplified by setting the wiring of the plurality of battery modules to the front side of the rack body. In particular, since connection lines and output terminals for connecting a plurality of battery modules are arranged on the front side, these wiring portions can be effectively cooled. In addition, since these wiring members are arranged on the front side of the battery module that is forcibly blown by the cooling fan, it is possible to realize a feature that cooling can be performed while effectively preventing foreign matters such as dust from accumulating on this portion.

1 is a perspective view of a rack-type power supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the rack-type power supply device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a front view showing a state where a front plate of the rack-type power supply device shown in FIG. 1 is removed. FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view corresponding to a section taken along line IV-IV of the rack-type power supply device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view corresponding to a section taken along line VV of the rack-type power supply device shown in FIG. 1. It is a perspective view of a battery module. FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a main part of the rack-type power supply device shown in FIG. 1. It is a schematic cross section which shows the power supply device of a reference example. It is a schematic cross section of a rack type power supply concerning Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of a rack-type power supply device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic cross section of the rack type power supply concerning Embodiment 4 of the present invention. It is a schematic cross section of the conventional rack type power supply device.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment described below is an example for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following. Further, the present specification does not limit the members described in the claims to the members of the embodiments. In particular, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in the embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention thereto, unless otherwise specified. It's just In addition, the size, positional relationship, and the like of the members shown in each drawing may be exaggerated for clarity of description. Further, in the following description, the same names and reference numerals denote the same or similar members, and a detailed description thereof will be appropriately omitted. Further, each element constituting the present invention may be configured such that a plurality of elements are formed of the same member and one member also serves as the plurality of elements, or conversely, the function of one member may be performed by a plurality of members. It can be realized by sharing.

  The rack-type power supply device of the present invention can be used as a mounted power storage facility, for example, a backup power supply that is driven during a power outage in a server, a building, a factory, or the like, a power storage for peak cut, or a power drive. Available to

(Embodiment 1)
1 to 5 show a rack-type power supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a rack-type power supply, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the rack-type power supply, FIG. 3 is a front view of the rack-type power supply with a front plate removed, and FIG. 5 is a vertical schematic cross-sectional view of the power supply device, and FIG. 5 is a horizontal schematic cross-sectional view of the rack-type power supply device. The rack-type power supply device shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 includes a plurality of battery modules 1 containing a plurality of secondary battery cells 11 and a plurality of battery modules 1 arranged vertically with a gap 3 therebetween in a horizontal posture. The rack includes a rack body 2 housed in a step, and a plurality of cooling fans 5 arranged on the front side of the rack body and for sending cooling air to gaps 3 formed between the battery modules.

  The rack-type power supply device shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 has a hollow storage space 20 inside the rack body 2, and stores a plurality of battery modules 1 in the storage space 20 in a horizontal posture. ing. The plurality of battery modules 1 are arranged in such a manner that a gap 3 is formed between vertically adjacent battery modules 1. The rack body 2 has a smaller number of cooling fans 5 than the battery modules 1 arranged vertically on the front side. Further, the rack body 2 includes a back duct 4 on the back side of the plurality of battery modules 1 for allowing the cooling wind passing through the gap 3 to pass upward, and exhaust air for exhausting the cooling wind passing through the rear duct 4. The mouth 28 is open on the top side. In the rack-type power supply device described above, the cooling air taken into the rack body 2 by the cooling fan 5 is passed through the gap 3 between the battery modules 1 to the rear duct 4 and exhausted from the exhaust port 28, and the storage space 20. Is cooled by cooling air.

(Battery module 1)
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the battery module 1 includes a battery 10 including a plurality of secondary battery cells 11 connected in series and / or in parallel to each other, and an outer case 12 including the battery 10. And

  The battery 10 has a plurality of secondary battery cells 11 connected in series and in parallel, and has an output voltage of 803.6V. This secondary battery cell 11 is a lithium ion secondary battery. The battery 10 in which the secondary battery cell 11 is a lithium ion secondary battery can increase the output with respect to volume and weight. However, as the secondary battery cell, a lithium polymer battery or a nickel water secondary battery cell can be used instead of the lithium ion battery. Therefore, the present invention does not specify a secondary battery cell as a lithium ion battery, and any rechargeable battery can be used as the secondary battery cell. Further, the illustrated battery 10 is provided with a temperature sensor 19 for detecting a temperature. The temperature sensor may be provided for each secondary battery cell, or may monitor only the secondary battery cell at a specific position.

  The outer case 12 has an overall shape of a thick box, and houses the battery 10 including a plurality of secondary battery cells 11. The outer case 12 is made of a material having excellent heat conductivity, for example, a metal. However, the outer case may be made of resin. The exterior case 12 is formed in a storage space 20 inside the rack body 2 to have a shape and a size that can be stored in a plurality of stages vertically. Further, the illustrated battery module 1 is provided with a positioning flange 13 protruding to both sides on the front side of the outer case 12 so that the battery module 1 can be inserted into the storage space 20 of the rack body 2 to a predetermined depth. In a state where the battery module 1 is stored in the storage space 20 of the rack body 2, the positioning flange 13 is brought into contact with the opening edge of the storage space 20 of the rack body 2 and is stored at a fixed position. In the battery module 1, the positioning flange 13 can be fixed to the opening edge of the rack body 2 via a connecting tool such as a set screw.

  Further, the battery module 1 outputs an electronic circuit 17 including a microcomputer for detecting and monitoring the state of the plurality of secondary battery cells 11, a signal such as information detected by the electronic circuit 17 to the outside, and A communication circuit 18 for receiving a signal is provided. The electronic circuit 17 includes various circuits for detecting battery information such as the temperature and voltage of the plurality of secondary battery cells 11 and charging / discharging currents, and a circuit for detecting and calculating the full charge and remaining capacity of the battery from the battery information. Or a protection circuit for monitoring whether the battery is normal. The information detected by the electronic circuit 17 is output to the outside via the communication circuit 18.

  Further, the battery module 1 includes positive and negative output terminals 14 connected to the output side of the battery 10 on the front surface 1A of the outer case 12. As shown in FIG. 3, the positive and negative output terminals 14 are connected by a connection line 41 on the front surface 1A side of the battery module 1 in a state where the plurality of battery modules 1 are stored in the storage space 20 of the rack body 2. . The connection line 41 has wiring connectors 43 at both ends. The wiring connectors 43 are fitted to the output terminals 14, and the plurality of battery modules 1 are connected via the connection lines 41. In the power supply device 100 shown in the figure, a plurality of battery modules 1 stacked vertically are connected in series via a connection line 41. However, a plurality of battery modules can be connected in series and / or in parallel.

  In this power supply device 100, wiring of a plurality of battery modules 1 can be performed on the front side of the rack body 2, so that wiring work and maintenance can be simplified. In particular, since the connection lines 41 and the output terminals 14 for connecting the plurality of battery modules 1 are arranged on the front side of the battery modules 1, these wiring portions can be effectively cooled by the cooling air sent from the cooling fan 5. In addition, since these wiring members are arranged on the front side of the battery module that is forcibly blown by the cooling fan, it is possible to realize a feature that cooling can be performed while effectively preventing foreign matters such as dust from accumulating on this portion.

  Further, the battery module 1 has a signal terminal 15 for outputting a signal from the built-in communication circuit 18 and for inputting a signal from an external device on the front surface 1A of the outer case 12. The signal terminal 15 includes an output terminal 15A and an input terminal 15B. The input terminal 15B is connected to another adjacent battery module 1 via a communication line 42, and a signal output from this battery module 1 is input. The output terminal 15 </ b> A outputs a signal from the communication circuit 18 built in the battery module 1 and passes a signal input from another battery module 1 and outputs the signal. As described above, the input terminal 15B for inputting a signal from another battery module 1 is provided, the signal is output from the output terminal 15A, and the signals from the plurality of battery modules 1 are transmitted via the communication line 42 to one line. , The wiring can be simplified and the states of the plurality of battery modules 1 can be monitored. However, the battery module may include a signal terminal including only an output terminal.

(Rack body 2)
In the rack body 2 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, four sides of the pillars 21 provided at the four corners are closed by the front plate 22, the back plate 23, and the left and right side plates 24, and the top surface is closed by the top plate 25. Therefore, the entire appearance is formed in a square pillar shape. The rack body 2 has a hollow interior, and has a storage space 20 for storing a plurality of battery modules 1 arranged vertically in a plurality of stages. The rack body 2 accommodates a plurality of battery modules 1 arranged in a plurality of stages with a gap 3 therebetween in a horizontal posture.

  The rack body 2 includes a positioning member for the battery modules 1 in order to arrange the plurality of battery modules 1 in a horizontal posture and at predetermined intervals. In the rack main body 2 shown in the figure, a plurality of positioning plates 26 are arranged vertically as positioning members. The positioning plate 26 is a metal plate bent in an L-shape in cross section, and includes a vertical portion 26 </ b> Y arranged along the side surface of the battery module 1 and a support portion that supports the lower surfaces of both sides of the battery module 1 from below. 26X. The rack body 2 of FIG. 1 includes a pair of support frames 27 arranged in a vertical posture between the side plates 24 provided on both sides and on both sides of the storage space 20. A plurality of positioning plates 26 are vertically arranged and fixed inside. The plurality of positioning plates 26 are arranged such that the support portions 26X in a horizontal posture project inward from the side surfaces of the storage space 20. Accordingly, the rack body 2 can support the plurality of battery modules 1 at predetermined intervals by placing the battery modules 1 on the upper surface of the opposing support portion 26X while dividing the storage space 20 into a plurality of stages. I have to.

  In the rack body 2 shown in the figure, the interval between the vertical portions 26Y of the positioning plates 26 arranged to face left and right is equal to the horizontal width of the battery module 1, and a plurality of positioning plates 26 arranged vertically are arranged without gaps. Cooling air is prevented from leaking to both sides from between these. Although not shown, the rack body is provided with an air leakage prevention member outside or inside the vertical portion of the positioning plate in order to prevent cooling air blown into the storage space from leaking in the left-right direction of the battery module. Can also. The above rack body 2 can pass the cooling air blown to the gap 3 formed between the battery modules 1 arranged in a plurality of stages to the rear side without leaking to both sides. However, the plurality of positioning plates 26 do not necessarily need to have a structure in which air does not completely leak, but may have a structure in which air leaks to some extent. In particular, in the rack body 2 shown in the figure, since the outside of the positioning plate 26 is closed by the side plate 24, even if air leaks from the positioning plate 26 to the outside, the air can be prevented from leaking outside by the side plate 24. Because.

  The rack body 2 shown in the figure is provided with a plurality of supporting portions 26X projecting inward from positioning plates 26 arranged vertically, and the battery module 1 is stored in each stage. The rack body 2 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 is provided with fourteen vertically extending support portions 26X extending in the front-rear direction in a horizontal posture, and while each of the support portions 26X supports the battery module 1 in a horizontal posture, a storage space is provided. 20. In the rack body 2, as shown in FIG. 7, the pitch (S) between the positioning plates 26 arranged vertically and the interval (S) between the support portions 26X protruding inside the storage space 20 is determined by the thickness of the battery module 1. (D). Thereby, a gap 3 having a predetermined vertical width (t) is formed between the battery modules 1 stacked vertically. Therefore, the interval (S) between the vertically arranged support portions 26 </ b> X can be an interval obtained by adding the vertical width (t) of the gap 3 to the thickness (d) of the battery module 1. The rack body 2 can be accurately arranged at a fixed position in the storage space 20 while providing a gap 3 having a predetermined vertical width (t) between the battery modules 1.

  The above-mentioned rack main body 2 can be inserted while positioning the battery module 1 by inserting the battery module 1 along the inner surface of the vertical portion 26Y of the positioning plate 26 located on both sides and the upper surface of the support portion 26X. However, the rack body may be provided with steps or guide rails on both sides of the storage space and inserted while guiding the battery module. Further, in the rack body, the positioning member may be a support plate that supports the entire battery module from below. In the rack body, the interval between the upper and lower support plates is made larger than the thickness of the battery module, so that a plurality of battery modules are arranged in a plurality of stages while providing a gap of a predetermined vertical width between the battery modules stacked vertically. Can be placed. In this case, in the battery module disposed on the upper surface of the support plate, the cooling air blown into the gap is thermally conducted to the battery module via the support plate. Therefore, by providing the slits and the through holes, the support plate can send the cooling air while directly contacting the lower surface of the battery module.

  Further, the rack body 2 has a structure in which the plurality of battery modules 1 are inserted to a predetermined depth of the storage space 20. As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 7, the rack body 2 has a space between the back surface 1B of the plurality of battery modules 1 housed in the housing space 20 and the back plate 23. The space is a back duct 4 that allows cooling air that has passed through the gap 3 between the battery modules 1 to pass through. The front and rear width (L) of the rear duct 4 formed on the rear side of the battery module 1 can be determined by adjusting the insertion position of the battery module 1 stored in the storage space 20 of the rack body 2. When the front-rear width (L) of the rear duct 4 is increased, the rack body 2 can efficiently pass the cooling air passing through the plurality of gaps 3 arranged vertically and flow to the top surface side. growing. Conversely, if the front-rear width (L) of the rear duct 4 is reduced, the outer shape can be reduced to make it compact, but the cooling air that has passed through the plurality of gaps 3 cannot be efficiently passed. Therefore, the front-rear width (L) of the rear duct 4 formed in the rack body 2 depends on the number of the battery modules 1 and the cooling fans 5 arranged vertically, the amount of air blown by the cooling fan 5, the size of the battery modules 1, and the like. The optimum width is determined in consideration of the above. The front-rear width (L) of the rear duct 4 is, for example, 1/10 to 1 times, preferably 1/5 to the number obtained by multiplying the vertical width (t) of the gap 3 between the battery modules 1 by the number of battery modules. 3/5 times of the above.

  Further, the rack body 2 closes the front side of the battery module 1 with the front plate 22 in a state where the plurality of battery modules 1 are stored in a plurality of stages vertically in the storage space 20. On the front plate 22, a plurality of cooling fans 5 are arranged vertically. Further, the rack body 2 has a ventilation space 6 between the front surface 1A of the plurality of battery modules 1 and the front plate 22. The air blowing space 6 is formed to convect cooling air blown from the plurality of cooling fans 5 fixed to the front plate 22 and to flow into the gap 3 formed between the battery modules 1. Increasing the front-rear width (K) of the blowing space 6 makes it easier for cooling air blown from the cooling fan 5 to flow into the gap 3 between the battery modules 1, but increases the outer shape of the rack body 2. Conversely, when the front-rear width (K) of the blowing space 6 is reduced, the outer shape can be reduced and the cooling space can be made compact, but the cooling air blown from the cooling fan 5 does not easily convect in the blowing space 6. Therefore, the front-rear width (K) of the blowing space 6 can be, for example, 1.5 to 5 times, preferably 2 to 4 times the thickness (k) of the cooling fan 5. Thereby, the interval (h) between the cooling fan 5 and the front surface 1A of the battery module 1 opposed thereto is 0.5 to 4 times, preferably 1 to 3 times or less the thickness (k) of the cooling fan. be able to.

  In the rack body 2 shown in the figure, the number of cooling fans 5 arranged on the front plate 22 is smaller than the number of battery modules 1 arranged in the storage space 20. In the power supply device 100 of the first embodiment, the number of the cooling fans 5 arranged on the front side is smaller, specifically, about half as compared with the battery modules 1 arranged vertically, Are arranged at unique positions, so that all the battery modules 1 can be efficiently cooled with a small number of cooling fans 5. Here, in the power supply device according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3, 14 battery modules 1 are arranged vertically in 14 stages, and 7 cooling fans 5 are arranged on the front side of the battery module 1. That is, the power supply device 100 is arranged such that one cooling fan 5 faces the two-stage battery module.

  Here, in the case where the number of cooling fans 5 is set to half of the number of battery modules 1 and one cooling fan 5 is arranged for two-stage battery modules for cooling, the power supply device of the reference example shown in FIG. By arranging the cooling fan 95 so as to face the gap 93 formed between the two-stage battery modules 91 as described above, the cooling air can be effectively blown into the gap 93. That is, by arranging the center axis of the cooling fan 95 so as to match the gap 93 between the battery modules 91, it is possible to efficiently send the cooling air to the gap 93. However, in this case, the cooling air can be effectively blown to the gap 93A facing the front of the cooling fan 95, but the cooling air is blown to the gap 93B located between the cooling fans 95 arranged vertically apart. It becomes difficult to flow. Therefore, a difference in airflow occurs between the gap 93A facing the cooling fan 95 and the gap 93B arranged between the cooling fans 95, and it becomes impossible to cool the plurality of battery modules 91 uniformly.

  Incidentally, in the power supply device of FIG. 8, the flow rate of the cooling air flowing through each gap 93 is maximized because of the gap 93 formed above the battery module 91 arranged at the uppermost stage (indicated by a point P in the figure). And the flow velocity of the cooling air in the gap 93 is 6.1 m / s. In the power supply device of FIG. 8, the flow rate of the cooling air flowing through each gap 93 is minimized due to the gap 93 formed between the second-stage battery module 91 and the third-stage battery module 91 from the bottom. (Indicated by a point Q in the figure), and the flow velocity of the cooling air in the gap 93 is 0.6 m / s. Therefore, in this power supply device, the maximum wind speed difference is 5.5 m / s, and it is difficult to cool all the battery modules 1 uniformly.

  On the other hand, the power supply device 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a structure in which one cooling fan 5 is arranged for two-stage battery modules to cool the battery modules. The cooling fan 5 arranged on the front side of the rack main body 2 is moved from the gap 3 between the battery modules 1 in a front view of the rack main body 2 in order to make the flow of the cooling air sent to the gap 3 to be uniform. They are displaced. The power supply device 100 shown in FIGS. 4 and 7 includes a cooling fan 5 arranged at the lowest position among a plurality of cooling fans 5 arranged on the front side, and a plurality of battery modules 1 arranged in a plurality of stages. Of these, they are arranged so as to match with the battery module 1 located at the lowest stage. Further, a plurality of cooling fans 5 are arranged at equal intervals every other stage with respect to a plurality of battery modules 1 arranged in a plurality of stages. Therefore, in this power supply device 100, the cooling fan 5 arranged at the uppermost position among the plurality of cooling fans 5 is arranged so as to match the battery module 1 located at the second stage from the uppermost stage. .

  Here, in the present specification, “the cooling fan 5 is arranged so as to match the battery module.” Means that the center axis m in the air blowing direction of the cooling fan 5 is, as shown in FIG. When the vertical position of the battery module 1 is 100 in a positional relationship intersecting with the front surface 1A of the battery module 1, the center axis m of the cooling fan 5 is 10 to 90 of the thickness of the battery module 1. Located in a region, preferably in a region of 20 to 80 in the thickness of the battery module 1, and more preferably in a state of being arranged in a region of 30 to 70 in the thickness of the battery module 1. Shall be. The power supply device 100 shown in FIG. 7 is configured such that the center axis m of the cooling fan 5 is located slightly above the center of the thickness of the battery module 1, specifically, assuming that the height of the battery module 1 is 100. , About 70 in height.

  As described above, the structure in which the cooling fan 5 arranged on the front side of the rack body 2 is displaced from the gap 3 between the battery modules 1 and arranged so as to match the battery module 1 in particular, 3 is approximated to the flow of the cooling air supplied thereto, whereby all the battery modules 1 are uniformly cooled. In this structure, the cooling fan 5 is not disposed between the battery modules 1 having good air blowing efficiency, but is arranged to avoid the gap 3 between the battery modules 1 so that the cooling air flow is intentionally prevented. To be. Thereby, the cooling air is also supplied to the area where the cooling air hardly reaches, for example, the gaps 3 farthest from the cooling fan 5, and as a result, the difference in the wind speed in each gap 3 is reduced.

  In the power supply device according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the flow rate of the cooling air flowing through each gap 3 is maximized by the gap 3 (point A in the drawing) formed above the battery module 1 arranged at the uppermost stage. And the flow rate of the cooling air in the gap 3 is 5.9 m / s. In the power supply device of FIG. 4, the flow velocity of the cooling air flowing through each gap 3 is minimized because the gap 3 (between the lowest battery module 1 and the second lower battery module 1 is formed. (Indicated by a point B in the figure), and the flow rate of the cooling air in the gap 3 is 0.7 m / s. Therefore, this power supply device has a maximum wind speed difference of 5.2 m / s, and the maximum wind speed difference is improved by about 5% compared to the power supply device of the reference example shown in FIG. In particular, the cooling fan 5 at the lowermost position is arranged so as to match the battery module 1 at the lowermost stage, and the plurality of cooling fans 5 are arranged at equal intervals at every other stage. 3 can be reduced. In the power supply devices shown in FIGS. 4 and 8, all the conditions other than changing the arrangement of the cooling fans are the same. In addition, these power supply devices use, as a cooling fan, an axial type propeller fan having a maximum wind speed of 1.5 to 4 m / s.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the power supply device 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is configured such that the left and right positions of the cooling fan 5 arranged to face the front surface 1 </ b> A of the battery module 1 It is unevenly distributed from the left and right center lines M. In this power supply device, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, a connection line 41 is arranged on the front surface 1 </ b> A side of the battery module 1. In particular, a wiring connector 43 for connecting the connection line 41 to the output terminal 14 is arranged on the front surface 1A of the battery module 1. Here, in the battery module 1 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the output terminal 14 to which the wiring connector 43 is connected is arranged at a position close to the left and right center lines M of the battery module 1. For this reason, when the cooling fan 5 is arranged close to the center line M of the battery module 1, the position of the cooling fan 5 and the wiring connector 43 overlap, and air is blown to the gap 3 formed between the battery modules 1. May be suppressed. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the pressure loss can be improved by shifting the position of the cooling fan 5 from the left and right center lines M of the battery module 1.

  In the power supply device 100 shown in the figure, the cooling fan 5 is arranged eccentrically to the left side when viewed from the front. However, the power supply device may appropriately change the position of the cooling fan 5 by arranging various wiring members arranged on the front face 1A of the battery module 1, for example, the connection line 41, the wiring connector 43, the communication line 42, and the like. it can. The power supply device can also arrange the center axis m of the cooling fan 5 in a direction substantially equal to the center line M of the battery module 1. In the power supply device, for example, the uneven distribution amount (Z) of the central axis m of the cooling fan 5 with respect to the central axis M of the battery module 1 can be set to 50% to 75% of the width of the battery module 1. In addition, the rack body 2 in FIGS. 1 to 3 has a plurality of cooling fans 5 arranged vertically in a straight line. , Or in other words, zigzag.

  Further, the rack body 2 includes a bottom duct 30 that allows cooling air sent from the cooling fan 5 to pass below the battery module 1 arranged at the lowest stage. In the rack body 2 shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, a bottom plate 31 is disposed on the lower surface of the battery module 1 mounted on the lowermost stage, and a hollow space is provided below the bottom plate 31 to provide a bottom side. The duct 30 is used. The bottom plate 31 is a metal plate, and an inlet 31A for allowing cooling air supplied from the cooling fan 5 to the blowing space 6 to flow into the bottom duct 30 is located at the front side of the battery module 1 and is opened. I have. Further, a gap is provided between the bottom plate 31 and the back plate 23 on the back side of the battery module 1, and the gap is communicated with the back duct 4 as a communication gap 32.

  The rack body 2 allows the cooling air blown from the cooling fan 5 to pass through the bottom duct 30 and flow into the rear duct 4 at the bottom of the blowing space 6. In particular, the bottom duct 30 shown in the figure has a vertical width (T) wider than the vertical width (t) of the gap 3 between the battery modules 1. Therefore, the cooling air can be effectively blown to the lower surface of the battery module 1 arranged at the lowermost stage to cool the battery module 1. Further, by providing the bottom duct 30 below the lowermost battery module 1, the flow velocity of the cooling air passing through the gap 3 formed at the lower part of the storage space 20 is increased, and the unevenness of the air flow of the entire rack body 2 is improved. Can be improved. The vertical width (T) of the bottom duct 30 may be, for example, 2 to 10 times, preferably 3 to 8 times the vertical width (t) of the gap 3 between the battery modules 1.

  Further, the rack body 2 has an exhaust port 28 opened in the top plate 25. In the rack body 2 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a plurality of through-holes are opened in a region on the back side of the top plate 25 to form an exhaust port 28. The top plate 25 has a plurality of through holes opened in a perforated plate shape. This structure has a feature that it is possible to prevent foreign substances and the like from entering while increasing the opening area of the exhaust port 28. The top surface plate 25 shown in the figure is provided on the back side area, facing the upper end opening of the back duct 4. The rack body 2 having the exhaust port 28 having this structure can efficiently exhaust the cooling air that has passed through the rear duct 4 to the outside. Although not shown, the exhaust port may be provided over the entire surface of the top plate.

  Further, the rack main body 2 shown in the figure has a compartment 34 partitioned from the storage space 20 of the battery module 1 below the top plate 25 and above the uppermost battery module 1. In the rack body 2, an upper plate 33 is disposed on the upper surface side of the uppermost battery module 1, and the upper plate 33 partitions the inside of the rack body 2 into a storage space 20 and a compartment 34. The rack body 2 uses the compartment 34 as a storage space for the power supply controller 7 described later. The rack body 2 shown in the figure has a structure in which cooling air that has passed through the rear duct 4 flows into the compartment 34 and then is exhausted from an exhaust port 28 opened in the top plate 25. Therefore, there is a feature that the power supply controller 7 can be cooled by contacting the cooling air flowing into the compartment 34 with the power supply controller 7.

  Further, the rack body 2 may be provided with an exhaust fan 35 at an exhaust port 28 opened in the top plate 25 as shown by a chain line in FIG. The rack body 2 can forcibly exhaust the cooling air passing through the rear duct 4 to the outside via the exhaust fan 35. Therefore, the rack body 2 can efficiently exhaust the cooling air that has passed through the gap 3 between the plurality of battery modules 1 and flowed into the rear duct by the exhaust fan 35. In particular, since the exhaust air is forcibly exhausted from the exhaust port 28 on the top surface side, the entire flow of the cooling air is promoted, and all the battery modules 1 can be cooled more efficiently.

(Cooling fan 5)
The cooling fan 5 is fixed to the front plate 22 of the rack body 2 and sucks outside air to forcibly blow air into the rack body 2. The cooling fan 5 shown in the drawing is an axial fan, and is a propeller fan that rotates a propeller having a plurality of fins with a motor. As the cooling fan 5, for example, one having a maximum wind speed of 1.5 to 4 m / s can be used. The power supply device has a plurality of cooling fans 5 arranged in a predetermined arrangement facing the front side of the battery modules 1 arranged in a plurality of stages.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 9 shows a rack-type power supply device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the power supply device 200 shown in this figure, like the power supply device 100 according to the first embodiment described above, seven cooling fans 5 are arranged for 14 battery modules 1 arranged in a plurality of stages. In the power supply device 200, the cooling fan 5 disposed on the front side is also displaced from the gap 3 between the battery modules 1 when viewed from the front of the rack body 52. And the arrangement of the cooling fan 5 is different. Therefore, in this power supply device 200, only the arrangement of the cooling fan 5 will be described, and other members will be denoted by the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and description thereof will be omitted.

  The power supply device 200 shown in FIG. 9 is configured such that the cooling fan 5 arranged at the lowest position among the cooling fans 5 arranged on the front side is the most one of the battery modules 1 arranged at a plurality of stages. It is arranged so as to match with the battery module 1 located in the second stage from the lower stage. Further, a plurality of cooling fans 5 are arranged at equal intervals every other stage with respect to a plurality of battery modules 1 arranged in a plurality of stages. Therefore, in this power supply device 200, of the plurality of cooling fans 5, the cooling fan 5 arranged at the uppermost position is arranged in a state matching the battery module 1 located at the uppermost stage.

  In the power supply device 200 shown in FIG. 9, the cooling fan 5 arranged to face the front face 1 </ b> A of the battery module 1 is arranged so as to be located at the center of the thickness of the battery module 1. With this structure, the cooling air blown from the cooling fan 5 to the front surface 1A of the battery module 1 is convected in a state where the cooling air is vertically divided in a well-balanced manner, so that the cooling air can uniformly flow into the gaps 3 formed above and below the battery module 1. Thereby, while cooling each battery module 1 efficiently with the cooling air blown up and down, the difference in the wind speed of the cooling air blown to the plurality of gaps 3 can be reduced.

  In the power supply device 200 according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the flow rate of the cooling air flowing through each gap 3 is maximized due to the gap 3 formed above the battery module 1 arranged at the uppermost stage (in FIG. C), and the flow rate of the cooling air in the gap 3 is 5.1 m / s. In the power supply device 200 of FIG. 9, the flow rate of the cooling air flowing through each gap 3 is minimized because the gap 3 formed between the lowermost battery module 1 and the second lower battery module 1. (Indicated by a point D in the figure), and the flow rate of the cooling air in the gap 3 is 0.5 m / s. Therefore, the power supply device 200 has a maximum wind speed difference of 4.6 m / s, and the maximum wind speed difference is improved by about 16% compared to the power supply device of the reference example shown in FIG. In particular, the battery module has a simple structure in which the cooling fan 5 at the lowermost position is arranged so as to match the battery module 1 in the second stage from the lowermost stage, and a plurality of cooling fans 5 are arranged at equal intervals every other stage. It is possible to reduce the difference in the airflow flowing in the gap 3 between the two.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 10 shows a rack-type power supply device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The power supply device 300 shown in this figure divides a back duct 64 formed on the back side of a plurality of battery modules 1 housed in a plurality of stages in a rack body 62 into a first flow path 64A and a second flow path 64B. ing. The rack body 62 shown in FIG. 10 is partitioned into an upper region 66 and a lower region 67 for storing a plurality of battery modules 1, and a gap between the plurality of battery modules 1 stored in the upper region 66. The cooling air passing through the plurality of battery modules 1 housed in the lower area 67 is passed through the second flow path 64B by passing the cooling air passing through the first flow path 64A.

  The rack body 62 shown in the figure has an intermediate plate 63 positioned at the upper and lower central portions of the storage space 20 to partition the storage space 20 into an upper region 66 and a lower region 67. Further, the rack main body 62 is provided with a partition wall 65 that is positioned on the back side of the plurality of battery modules 1 housed in the upper region 66 and partitions the inside of the rear duct 64 forward and backward. The rear duct 64 has a front side of the partition wall 65 as a first flow path 64A and a rear side of the partition wall 65 as a second flow path 64B. The illustrated partition wall 65 is disposed in a posture parallel to the rear plate 23, and has a lower end connected to the rear edge of the intermediate plate 63 and an upper end extended to the upper end opening of the rear duct 64. Have been placed. The rear duct 64 is provided with a cooling air passing through the gap 3 between the plurality of battery modules 1 stored in the upper area 66 and a cooling air passing through the gap 3 between the plurality of battery modules 1 stored in the lower area 67. Are passed independently through the first flow path 64A and the second flow path 64B.

  However, the rear duct is not necessarily limited to a structure in which the rear wall is divided into two parts by the partition wall. The rear duct can be divided into left and right or into three or more flow paths. Further, the partition wall is not necessarily limited to a structure arranged in parallel with the back plate. The partition wall can also be arranged in a posture inclined with respect to the back plate. In other words, the back duct can adopt any structure in which the inside is divided into a plurality of sections by the partition wall.

  In the rear duct 64 shown in the figure, the front-rear width (b1) of the first flow path 64A is equal to the front-rear width (b2) of the second flow path 64B. However, in the rear duct 64, the front and rear widths of the first flow path 64A and the second flow path 64B can be adjusted according to the number of battery modules 1 stored in the upper area 66 and the lower area 67, respectively. The front-rear width (b1) of the first flow path 64A and the front-rear width (b2) of the second flow path 64B are such that the maximum flow velocity difference of the cooling air sent to the gap 3 formed between the plurality of battery modules 1 is small. It is adjusted to.

  Further, the power supply device 300 shown in the figure houses fourteen battery modules 1, and of these battery modules 1, the upper six stages are an upper region 66 and the lower eight stages are a lower region 67. I have. As described above, in the structure in which the front-rear width (b1) of the first flow path 64A is equal to the front-rear width (b2) of the second flow path 64B, the number of steps of the upper region 66 is thus reduced by the number of steps of the lower region 67. By making it smaller, the cooling air blown to all the gaps 3 can also reduce the flow velocity difference. However, in the power supply device, the number of the upper region 66 and the lower region 67 is not limited to six or eight, and can be variously changed.

  Further, in the power supply device 300, similarly to the power supply device of the above-described reference example, the number of the cooling fans 5 is set to half the number of the battery modules 1, and one cooling fan 5 is arranged for the two-stage battery modules. In particular, a cooling fan 5 is arranged to face the gap 3 formed between the two-stage battery modules 1. In this power supply device 300, the arrangement of the plurality of cooling fans 5 is made equal to that of the power supply device of the reference example. The maximum difference in the maximum wind speed of the cooling air sent to each of the gaps 3 is remarkably improved.

  In the power supply device 300 according to the third embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the cooling air flowing through each gap 3 has the maximum flow velocity at the lower side of the battery module 1 arranged at the uppermost stage of the lower region 67. This is gap 3 (indicated by point E in the figure), and the flow velocity of the cooling air in gap 3 is 3.7 m / s. In the power supply device 300 of FIG. 10, the flow velocity of the cooling air flowing through each gap 3 is minimized because the gap 3 (point F in FIG. 10) is formed above the uppermost battery module 1 in the lower region 67. And the flow velocity of the cooling air in the gap 3 is 0.9 m / s. Therefore, this power supply device has a maximum wind speed difference of 2.8 m / s, and the maximum wind speed difference is improved by about 50% compared to the power supply device of the reference example shown in FIG. Further, as shown by the chain line in FIG. 11, the power supply device 300 can further improve the maximum wind speed difference by providing the exhaust fan 35 in the exhaust port 28 opened in the top plate 25.

(Embodiment 4)
FIG. 11 shows a rack-type power supply device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the power supply device 400 shown in this figure, similarly to the power supply device of the third embodiment, an intermediate plate 73 is arranged in the upper and lower central portions of the rack body 72 to partition the storage space 20 into an upper region 76 and a lower region 77. At the same time, the rear duct 74 is partitioned into the first flow path 74A and the second flow path 74B by the partition wall 75, and the number of the battery modules 1 stored in the upper area 76 and the lower area 77 is arranged on the front side. The arrangement of the plurality of cooling fans 5 is different from that of the third embodiment.

  In the power supply device 400 illustrated in FIG. 11, among the fourteen battery modules 1 stored in the storage space 20, the upper seven stages are the upper region 76 and the lower seven stages are the lower region 77. Further, in the power supply device 400, one cooling fan 5 is disposed for the two-stage battery module, and the cooling fan disposed at the lowest position among the plurality of cooling fans 5 disposed on the front side. The fan 5 is arranged so as to match the battery module 1 located at the lowermost stage among the battery modules 1 arranged in a plurality of stages. Further, a plurality of cooling fans 5 are arranged at equal intervals every other stage with respect to a plurality of battery modules 1 arranged in a plurality of stages, and the cooling fan arranged at the highest position among the plurality of cooling fans 5 5 is arranged so as to match the battery module 1 located at the second tier from the top tier. In particular, in power supply device 400 shown in FIG. 11, cooling fan 5 arranged opposite front surface 1 </ b> A of battery module 1 is arranged so as to be located at the center of the thickness of battery module 1.

  In the power supply device 400 according to the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the flow velocity of the cooling air flowing through each gap 3 is the largest at the lower side of the battery module 1 arranged at the second stage from the top of the lower region 77. (Indicated by a point G in the figure), and the flow velocity of the cooling air in the gap 3 is 3.2 m / s. In the power supply device 400 of FIG. 11, the flow rate of the cooling air flowing through each gap 3 is minimized because the gap 3 (point H in FIG. 11) is formed above the uppermost battery module 1 in the lower region 77. And the flow velocity of the cooling air in the gap 3 is 0.8 m / s. Therefore, the power supply device 400 has a maximum wind speed difference of 2.4 m / s, which is improved by 55% or more compared to the power supply device of the reference example shown in FIG.

  In the power supply devices according to the first to fourth embodiments, one cooling fan is arranged for two battery modules 1. Therefore, when the number of battery modules 1 is an even number, the number of cooling fans 5 is n. Then, the number of battery modules 1 can be 2n. However, an odd number of battery modules 1 can be arranged in the power supply device. In this power supply device, the number of cooling fans 5 can be n, and the number of battery modules 1 can be (2n-1) or (2n + 1). In this power supply device, cooling fans 5 can be arranged alternately for a plurality of battery modules 1, and the number of cooling fans can be reduced to about half of the number of battery modules.

  Further, the above power supply device includes a power supply controller 7 that controls charging and discharging of the plurality of battery modules 1 connected to each other. The power supply controller 7 is connected to a plurality of battery modules 1 connected in series and / or in parallel, and controls charging and discharging of the secondary battery cells 11 built in these battery modules 1. 1 to 4 house the power supply controller 7 in a compartment 34 provided at the top of the rack body 2. This power supply device can cool the power supply controller 7 with the cooling air by contacting cooling air discharged through the rear duct 4 provided on the rear side of the rack body 2 and discharged to the upper surface side. Further, since the high-voltage output line output from the power supply controller 7 is wired on the top surface side of the rack body 2, the high-voltage output line can be wired at a high place where the user does not touch and can be used safely. .

  In the power supply device 100 shown in FIG. 3, the connection lines 41 are wired so that the outputs of all the battery modules 1 mounted on the rack body 2 are connected in series. Specifically, the output terminals 14 of different polarities of the battery modules 1 mounted vertically adjacent to each other are connected in a daisy chain by a connection line 41 provided with a wiring connector 43. Further, the ends of the connection lines 41 connected to the battery modules 1 arranged on both upper and lower ends are input to the power supply controller 7 arranged on the upper part of the rack body 2. In the power supply device shown in the figure, the outputs of 14 battery modules 1 are connected in series. In this power supply device, the output voltage of each battery module 1 is set to approximately 57 V, and the output voltage of the entire power supply device is set to approximately 800 V. However, in the power supply device, the output voltage of each battery module may be 30V to 60V, and 4 to 14 of these battery modules may be connected in series to make the output voltage of the entire power supply device 200V to 800V. As described above, the power supply device in which the plurality of battery modules 1 are all connected in series can have an extremely high output voltage.

  However, the wiring of the connection line is not necessarily specified as the wiring connecting all the battery modules in series. The connection line is wired so that outputs of a plurality of battery modules to be mounted can be output in a predetermined connection state. For example, the power supply device may connect a plurality of battery modules in series and in parallel. This power supply device can increase the discharge current while increasing the output voltage.

  In the above power supply device, the output terminals 14 of each battery module 1 are wired in series and / or in parallel with the connection line 41 on the front side of the rack body 2 as a process after the battery module 1 is housed in a fixed position. . This wiring work can be performed at a site where the power supply device is installed, after the plurality of battery modules 1 are stored in the rack body 2 arranged at a predetermined position. Therefore, wiring of the connection line 41 can be performed efficiently and safely.

  In the above power supply device, charging and discharging are controlled by the power supply controller 7 with a predetermined number of battery modules 1 mounted on the rack body 2.

100, 200, 300, 400 Power supply device 1 Battery module 1A Front surface 1B Back surface 2, 52, 62, 72 Rack body 3 Gap 4, 64, 74 Back duct 64A, 74A First flow path 64B 74B ... second flow path 5 ... cooling fan 6 ... blowing space 7 ... power controller 10 ... battery 11 ... rechargeable battery cell 12 ... exterior case 13 ... positioning flange 14 ... output terminal 15 ... signal terminal 15A ... output terminal 15B ... Input terminal 17 ... Electronic circuit 18 ... Communication circuit 19 ... Temperature sensor 20 ... Storage space 21 ... Support column 22 ... Front plate 23 ... Back plate 24 ... Side plate 25 ... Top plate 26 ... Positioning plate 26X ... Support part 26Y ... Vertical section 27 Support frame 28 Exhaust port 30 Bottom side duct 31 Bottom plate 31A Inlet 32 Communication gap 33 Part plate 34 Partition chamber 35 Exhaust fan 41 Connection line 42 Communication line 43 Wiring connectors 63 and 73 Intermediate plates 65 and 75 Partition walls 66 and 76 Upper regions 67 and 77 Lower region 91 Battery modules 93, 93A, 93B ... gap 95 ... cooling fan 101 ... battery module 102 ... rack 103 ... gap 105 ... cooling fan 110 ... wall surface

Claims (11)

A plurality of battery modules containing a plurality of secondary battery cells,
A rack body that stores the plurality of battery modules in a plurality of stages vertically with a gap therebetween in a horizontal position,
A cooling fan arranged on the front side of the rack body and for sending cooling air to the gap formed between the battery modules;
A rack-type power supply device comprising:
The rack body includes a back duct on the back side of the plurality of battery modules for allowing the cooling air passing through the gap to pass upward, and an exhaust port for exhausting the cooling air passing through the back duct. It is open on the surface side,
The number of the cooling fans is less than the number of the battery modules,
A rack-type power supply device, wherein the cooling fan is disposed so as to be displaced from the gap formed between the battery modules in a front view of the rack body. A plurality of battery modules containing a plurality of secondary battery cells,
A rack body that stores the plurality of battery modules in a plurality of stages vertically with a gap therebetween in a horizontal position,
A cooling fan arranged on the front side of the rack body and for sending cooling air to the gap formed between the battery modules;
A rack-type power supply device comprising:
The rack body includes a back duct on the back side of the plurality of battery modules for allowing the cooling air passing through the gap to pass upward, and an exhaust port for exhausting the cooling air passing through the back duct. It is open on the surface side,
The rear duct has a first flow path through which cooling air passes through the gap formed between the plurality of battery modules housed in the upper area of the rack body, and a lower area in the lower area of the rack body. It is partitioned into a second flow path that allows cooling air to pass through the gap formed between the plurality of battery modules to be stored,
Furthermore, the number of the cooling fans is smaller than the number of the battery modules, and the cooling fan is a rack-type power supply device which is arranged vertically. A rack-type power supply device according to claim 2,
The rear duct is provided on the rear side of the plurality of battery modules housed in the upper region, and includes a partition wall for partitioning the inside of the rear duct into front and rear, and the front side of the partition wall is a second side. A rack-type power supply device, wherein the back side of the partition wall is used as a second flow path as one flow path. A rack-type power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A rack-type power supply device in which the cooling fans are arranged at equal intervals every other stage with respect to the plurality of battery modules arranged in a plurality of stages. A rack-type power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The cooling fan arranged at the lowermost position on the front side of the rack main body is a rack type arranged so as to match the lowermost battery module among the battery modules housed in the rack main body. Power supply. A rack-type power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The cooling fan arranged at the lowermost position on the front side of the rack main body is arranged so as to match the battery module located at the second tier from the lowermost stage among the battery modules housed in the rack main body. Rack-type power supply. A rack-type power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
A rack-type power supply device, wherein the rack body includes an exhaust fan located at the exhaust port for exhausting cooling air passing through the rear duct. A rack-type power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The rack body includes a bottom duct below which the cooling air blown from the cooling fan is passed below the battery module arranged at the lowermost stage, and the bottom duct is communicated with the back duct. The cooling air that has passed through the bottom side duct is caused to flow into the rear duct,
Further, a rack-type power supply device in which the vertical width of the bottom side duct is wider than the vertical width of the gap formed between the battery modules. A rack-type power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
A rack-type power supply device, wherein a distance (h) between the cooling fan and a front surface of the plurality of battery modules facing the cooling fan is four times or less a thickness (k) of the cooling fan. The rack-type power supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising:
A power controller that controls charging and discharging of the plurality of battery modules housed in the rack body,
The power controller is arranged above a battery module arranged at the top of the plurality of battery modules arranged in a plurality of stages,
A rack-type power supply device configured to cool the power supply controller with cooling air passing through the rear duct. The rack-type power supply device according to claim 10,
The battery module has an output terminal on the front surface for outputting outputs of a plurality of built-in secondary battery cells to the outside,
A rack-type power supply device, wherein the output terminals of the plurality of battery modules are connected to the power supply module via a connection line on the front side of the rack body.

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